But sources who use the product regularly have told Fairfax Media underground use of the drugs is rife in Australia.

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One user, Sarah, agreed to talk to Fairfax Media on condition of anonymity. The 19-year-old said she gets the injections at a friend’s house every week. It cost between $1 and $10 a shot.

She works as a promotions model and the pretty brunette said she preferred the injections to sunbeds or lying on the beach.

‘‘Everything goes darker including your freckles but there are no tan lines and you don’t get burnt,’’ she said.

‘‘Pretty much everyone I know uses it... even some of the guys.’’

The drug also has the side effect of causing prolonged erections in some men.

But Chief Executive Officer of the Cancer Council Australia Professor Ian Olver said using the drug could actually increase the risk of skin cancer on existing moles as they became more pronounced and injecting any illegal substance increased the risk of blood born viruses.

It’s a dangerous thing to do - to take a drug that hasn’t been fully tested and to inject it into yourself - it’s not known if it’s safe because it has not been rigorously tested in the way that a commercial drug would be.

‘‘It’s a dangerous thing to do - to take a drug that hasn’t been fully tested and to inject it into yourself - it’s not known if it’s safe because it has not been rigorously tested in the way that a commercial drug would be,’’ Professor Olver said.

And he said the known side effects included nausea and continuous erections.

But body building forums promote the injections as a safe alternative to sunbeds. Online 10 mg bottles of Melanotan II sell for $69 plus postage.